Pre-Service Language Teachers and Practitioner Research: Investigating Professional Role Identity Formation
Year 2025,
Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 109 - 128, 29.06.2025
Asiye Dogan Ucar
,
Erdem Akbaş
Abstract
Following the Exploratory Practice principles to equip pre-service language teachers with practitioner research skills through a research course, we employed narrative inquiry to explore perceptions of research engagement and the professional role identities constructed through it. The data for this study came from its two participants' written and oral narratives. Our findings indicated that the participants viewed their involvement in practitioner research positively and benefited from it both personally and professionally, achieving a transformative shift from a singular student-focused perspective to a more complex dual viewpoint that also embraces aspects of a teacher's perspective. Among the various professional role identities that language teachers enact, our participants emphasized the roles of ‘care provider’ and ‘motivator’ over more traditional role identities such as ‘presenter’ and ‘manager’. In addition, the roles of ‘learner’ and ‘researcher’, when combined, were found to be more dominant than the role of ‘knowledgeable, signifying an inquiry and growth mindset. We conclude that a course design requiring active research engagement and reflection on teacher identity offers significant benefits for language teacher education and, therefore, should be included in the curricula of such programs.
Ethical Statement
This research has been conducted in compliance with the institutional regulations of Erciyes University, as outlined in the ethical permission document dated 27/12/2022 (Application no: 569)
Thanks
This research originated from a course that was part of the first author’s PhD dissertation, Investigating Teacher Identity Development Through Exploratory Practice in the Context of EFL Teacher Education, under the supervision of the second author. Asiye Doğan Uçar was awarded a Fulbright Dissertation Research Grant and received support from the TUBITAK 2211-A program for her dissertation work, including this study. We gratefully acknowledge their contributions.
An earlier version of this study was presented at the AAAL 2024 Conference in Houston, USA.
We also would like to thank the Proofreading & Editing Office of the Dean for Research at Erciyes University for the copyediting and proofreading service for this manuscript.
References
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- Akkerman, S. F., & Meijer, P. C. (2011). A dialogical approach to conceptualizing teacher identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(2), 308-319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.08.013
- Akyel, A. (2015). Research engagement in the EFL pre-service practicum. Language in Focus, 1(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1515/lifijsal-2015-0001
- Allwright, D. (2003). Exploratory practice: Rethinking practitioner research in language teaching. Language Teaching Research, 7(2) 113–141. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168803lr118oa
- Allwright, D. (2005). Developing principles for practitioner research: The case of exploratory practice. The Modern Language Journal, 89(3), 353-366. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2005.00310.x
- Allwright, D., & Hanks, J. (2009). The developing language learner: An introduction to Exploratory Practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Atai, M. R., Babaii, E., & Lotfi Gaskaree, B. (2018). A narrative study of in-service EAP teachers’ cognition on language teacher role identities. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 6(2), 97-115. https://doi.org/10.30466 / ijltr.2018.120562
- Barkhuizen, G., Benson, P., & Chik, A. (2013). Narrative inquiry in language teaching and learning research. Routledge.
- Barkhuizen, G., & Mendieta, J. (2020). Teacher identity and good language teachers. In C. Griffiths & Z. Tajeddin (Eds.), Lessons from good language teachers (pp. 3–15). Cambridge University Press.
- Beijaard, D., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(2), 107–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2003.07.001
- Borg, S. (2017). Identity and teacher research. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 134-140). Routledge.
- Britzman, D. P. (2003). Practice makes practice: A critical study of learning to teach. Suny Press.
- Burns, A., & Richards, J. C. (Eds.). (2009). The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education. Cambridge University Press.
- Butler, S. (2024). The role of teacher beliefs and classroom interactions on language teacher professional identity in Egypt. In A. Muthanna & M. S. Khine (Eds.), The Development of Professional Identity in Higher Education (pp. 180-193). Routledge.
- Candy, P. C. (1991). Self-Direction for Lifelong Learning. A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. Jossey-Bass.
- Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1999). The teacher research movement: A decade later. Educational Researcher, 28(7), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X028007015
- Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19(5), 2-14.
- Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage.
- Danielewicz, J. (2001). Teaching selves: Identity, pedagogy and teacher education. SUNY Press. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.39-1701
- Dikilitaş, K., & Bostancıoğlu, A. (2019). Inquiry and research skills for language teachers. Springer.
- Duff, P. A., & Uchida, Y. (1997). The negotiation of teachers' sociocultural identities and practices in postsecondary EFL classrooms. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 451-486. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587834
- Farrell, T. S. C. (2011). Exploring the professional role identities of experienced ESL teachers through reflective practice. System, 39(1), 54-62.
- Flores, M. A., & Day, C. (2006). Contexts which shape and reshape new teachers’ identities: A multi-perspective study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(2), 219–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.09.002
- Fowler, W. D. (2017). A Study of the Professional Role Identities of Experienced University Instructors of English for Speakers of Other Languages (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University).
- Hanks, J. (2017). Exploratory practice in language teaching: Puzzling about principles and
practices. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45344-0
- Hanks, J., & Dikilitaş, K. (2018). Introduction: Exploratory Practice: Explorations in language teacher education and continuing professional development. In K. Dikilitaş & J. Hanks (Eds.), Developing language teachers with exploratory practice: Innovations and explorations in language education, (pp. 1-9). Springer.
- Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching. Yale University Press.
la Velle, L. (2024). Teacher-as-researcher: a foundational principle for teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 50(3), 367-370. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2024.2361498
- Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge.
- Martel, J. (2017). Identity, innovation, and learning to teach a foreign/second language. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 87–92). Routledge.
- Miller, I. K. (2009). ‘Puzzle-driven’ language teacher development: The contribution of exploratory practice. In T. Yoshida, H. Imai, Y. Nakata, A. Tajino, O. Takeuchi, & K. Tamai (Eds.), Researching language teaching and learning: An integration of practice and theory (pp. 77–93). Peter Lang.
- Miller, I. K., & Cunha, M. I. A. (2019). Exploratory practice: Integrating research into regular pedagogic activities. In S. Walsh & S. Mann (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of English language teacher education (pp. 583-595). Routledge.
- Moritani, H., & Iwai, C. (2019). Role identities of Japanese teachers of English at Japanese universities. In P. Clements, A. Krause, & P. Bennett (Eds.), Diversity and inclusion. (pp.50–56). JALT.
- Norton, B., & Toohey, K. (2011). Identity, language learning, and social change. Language Teaching, 44(4), 412-446. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444811000309
- Rahimi, A., & Bigdeli, R. A. (2014). The Dynamicity and flexibility of EFL teachers' role identities in language institutes. ABAC Journal, 34(2), 46-55.
- Ruohotie-Lyhty, M., & Moate, J. (2016). Who and how? Pre-service teachers as active agents developing professional identities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 318-327.
- Sahragard, R., & Sadeghi, M. (2017). Exploring teachers' role identity among Iranian EFL teachers: A narrative-based research. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 6(4), 11-20.
https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.6n.4p.11
- Seidman, I. (2019). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences. Teachers College Press.
- Trent, J. (2010). Teacher education as identity construction: Insights from action research. Journal of Education for Teaching, 36(2), 153-168.
- Trent, J. (2012). Research engagement as identity construction: Hong Kong pre-service teachers' experiences of a compulsory research project. Teacher Development, 16(2), 145-160.
- Tsui, A. B. (2007). Complexities of identity formation: A narrative inquiry of an EFL teacher. TESOL Quarterly, 41(4), 657-680. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00098.x
- van Huizen, P., van Oers, B., & Wubbels, T. (2005). A Vygotskian perspective on teacher education. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 37(3), 267–290.
- Varghese, M., Morgan, B., Johnston, B., & Johnson, K. A. (2005). Theorizing language teacher identity: Three perspectives and beyond. Journal of language, Identity, and Education, 4(1), 21-44. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327701jlie0401_2
- Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
- Xu, Y. (2016). Becoming a researcher: A journey of inquiry. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 120-125). Routledge.
- Yazan, B. (2018). Towards identity-oriented teacher education: Critical autoethnographic narrative. TESOL Journal, 10(1), 1-15
- Yesilbursa, A. (2012). Using metaphor to explore the professional role identities of higher education English language instructors. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 468-472.
- Yi, L., & Meng, L. (2022). Teacher Identity Construction of Non-Local English-Speaking EFL Teachers in the Intercultural Adaptation Process. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 13(5), 1058-1065. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1305.19
Öğretmen Adayları ve Uygulayıcı Araştırma: Mesleki Rol Kimliği İnşasının İncelenmesi
Year 2025,
Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 109 - 128, 29.06.2025
Asiye Dogan Ucar
,
Erdem Akbaş
Abstract
Bu çalışma, öğretmen adaylarını uygulayıcı araştırma becerileriyle donatmayı amaçlayan ve Keşifsel Uygulama (Exploratory Practice) ilkelerini temel alan bir araştırma dersi kapsamında, araştırma sürecine katılımlarına dair algılarını ve bu süreçte inşa ettikleri mesleki rol kimliklerini incelemek için anlatı araştırması (narrative inquiry) yöntemini kullanmıştır. Çalışmanın verileri, iki katılımcının yazılı ve sözlü anlatılarından elde edilmiştir. Bulgularımız, katılımcıların uygulayıcı araştırmaya olumlu bir bakış açısıyla yaklaştıklarını ve bu sürecin hem kişisel hem de mesleki gelişimlerine önemli katkılar sağladığını göstermektedir. Katılımcılar, öğretmenlik rollerine ilişkin algılarında tek boyutlu, öğrenci odaklı bir perspektiften, öğretmen bakış açısını da içeren daha bütüncül ve çok katmanlı bir bakış açısına dönüşüm geçirdiklerini ifade etmişlerdir. Öğretmenlerin üstlendikleri çeşitli mesleki rol kimlikleri arasında, katılımcılar geleneksel ‘bilgi sunucu’ (presenter) ve ‘yönetici’ (manager) rollerinden ziyade ‘bakım sağlayıcı’ (care provider) ve ‘motivasyon kaynağı’ (motivator) rollerini daha ön planda tutmuşlardır. Bunun yanı sıra, ‘öğrenen’ (learner) ve ‘araştırmacı’ (researcher) rollerinin bir araya geldiğinde, geleneksel ‘bilgili kişi’ (knowledgeable) rolünden daha baskın olduğu bulunmuştur. Bu durum, katılımcıların öğretmenlik kimliklerinde araştırma temelli bir büyüme ve sorgulama zihniyetinin öne çıktığını göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, öğretmen kimliği üzerine düşünmeyi teşvik eden ve öğretmen adaylarının aktif araştırma sürecine katılımını gerektiren bir ders tasarımının, dil öğretmeni eğitiminde önemli kazanımlar sağladığı ve bu nedenle öğretmen yetiştirme programlarının müfredatına entegre edilmesi gerektiği ileri sürülmektedir.
References
- Aghaei, P., Bavali, M., & Behjat, F. (2020). An in-depth qualitative study of teachers' role identities: A case of Iranian EFL teachers. International Journal of Instruction, 13(2), 601-620. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13241a
- Akkerman, S. F., & Meijer, P. C. (2011). A dialogical approach to conceptualizing teacher identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(2), 308-319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.08.013
- Akyel, A. (2015). Research engagement in the EFL pre-service practicum. Language in Focus, 1(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1515/lifijsal-2015-0001
- Allwright, D. (2003). Exploratory practice: Rethinking practitioner research in language teaching. Language Teaching Research, 7(2) 113–141. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168803lr118oa
- Allwright, D. (2005). Developing principles for practitioner research: The case of exploratory practice. The Modern Language Journal, 89(3), 353-366. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2005.00310.x
- Allwright, D., & Hanks, J. (2009). The developing language learner: An introduction to Exploratory Practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Atai, M. R., Babaii, E., & Lotfi Gaskaree, B. (2018). A narrative study of in-service EAP teachers’ cognition on language teacher role identities. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 6(2), 97-115. https://doi.org/10.30466 / ijltr.2018.120562
- Barkhuizen, G., Benson, P., & Chik, A. (2013). Narrative inquiry in language teaching and learning research. Routledge.
- Barkhuizen, G., & Mendieta, J. (2020). Teacher identity and good language teachers. In C. Griffiths & Z. Tajeddin (Eds.), Lessons from good language teachers (pp. 3–15). Cambridge University Press.
- Beijaard, D., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(2), 107–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2003.07.001
- Borg, S. (2017). Identity and teacher research. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 134-140). Routledge.
- Britzman, D. P. (2003). Practice makes practice: A critical study of learning to teach. Suny Press.
- Burns, A., & Richards, J. C. (Eds.). (2009). The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education. Cambridge University Press.
- Butler, S. (2024). The role of teacher beliefs and classroom interactions on language teacher professional identity in Egypt. In A. Muthanna & M. S. Khine (Eds.), The Development of Professional Identity in Higher Education (pp. 180-193). Routledge.
- Candy, P. C. (1991). Self-Direction for Lifelong Learning. A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. Jossey-Bass.
- Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1999). The teacher research movement: A decade later. Educational Researcher, 28(7), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X028007015
- Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19(5), 2-14.
- Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage.
- Danielewicz, J. (2001). Teaching selves: Identity, pedagogy and teacher education. SUNY Press. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.39-1701
- Dikilitaş, K., & Bostancıoğlu, A. (2019). Inquiry and research skills for language teachers. Springer.
- Duff, P. A., & Uchida, Y. (1997). The negotiation of teachers' sociocultural identities and practices in postsecondary EFL classrooms. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 451-486. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587834
- Farrell, T. S. C. (2011). Exploring the professional role identities of experienced ESL teachers through reflective practice. System, 39(1), 54-62.
- Flores, M. A., & Day, C. (2006). Contexts which shape and reshape new teachers’ identities: A multi-perspective study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(2), 219–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.09.002
- Fowler, W. D. (2017). A Study of the Professional Role Identities of Experienced University Instructors of English for Speakers of Other Languages (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University).
- Hanks, J. (2017). Exploratory practice in language teaching: Puzzling about principles and
practices. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45344-0
- Hanks, J., & Dikilitaş, K. (2018). Introduction: Exploratory Practice: Explorations in language teacher education and continuing professional development. In K. Dikilitaş & J. Hanks (Eds.), Developing language teachers with exploratory practice: Innovations and explorations in language education, (pp. 1-9). Springer.
- Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching. Yale University Press.
la Velle, L. (2024). Teacher-as-researcher: a foundational principle for teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 50(3), 367-370. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2024.2361498
- Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge.
- Martel, J. (2017). Identity, innovation, and learning to teach a foreign/second language. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 87–92). Routledge.
- Miller, I. K. (2009). ‘Puzzle-driven’ language teacher development: The contribution of exploratory practice. In T. Yoshida, H. Imai, Y. Nakata, A. Tajino, O. Takeuchi, & K. Tamai (Eds.), Researching language teaching and learning: An integration of practice and theory (pp. 77–93). Peter Lang.
- Miller, I. K., & Cunha, M. I. A. (2019). Exploratory practice: Integrating research into regular pedagogic activities. In S. Walsh & S. Mann (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of English language teacher education (pp. 583-595). Routledge.
- Moritani, H., & Iwai, C. (2019). Role identities of Japanese teachers of English at Japanese universities. In P. Clements, A. Krause, & P. Bennett (Eds.), Diversity and inclusion. (pp.50–56). JALT.
- Norton, B., & Toohey, K. (2011). Identity, language learning, and social change. Language Teaching, 44(4), 412-446. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444811000309
- Rahimi, A., & Bigdeli, R. A. (2014). The Dynamicity and flexibility of EFL teachers' role identities in language institutes. ABAC Journal, 34(2), 46-55.
- Ruohotie-Lyhty, M., & Moate, J. (2016). Who and how? Pre-service teachers as active agents developing professional identities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 318-327.
- Sahragard, R., & Sadeghi, M. (2017). Exploring teachers' role identity among Iranian EFL teachers: A narrative-based research. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 6(4), 11-20.
https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.6n.4p.11
- Seidman, I. (2019). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences. Teachers College Press.
- Trent, J. (2010). Teacher education as identity construction: Insights from action research. Journal of Education for Teaching, 36(2), 153-168.
- Trent, J. (2012). Research engagement as identity construction: Hong Kong pre-service teachers' experiences of a compulsory research project. Teacher Development, 16(2), 145-160.
- Tsui, A. B. (2007). Complexities of identity formation: A narrative inquiry of an EFL teacher. TESOL Quarterly, 41(4), 657-680. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00098.x
- van Huizen, P., van Oers, B., & Wubbels, T. (2005). A Vygotskian perspective on teacher education. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 37(3), 267–290.
- Varghese, M., Morgan, B., Johnston, B., & Johnson, K. A. (2005). Theorizing language teacher identity: Three perspectives and beyond. Journal of language, Identity, and Education, 4(1), 21-44. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327701jlie0401_2
- Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
- Xu, Y. (2016). Becoming a researcher: A journey of inquiry. In G. Barkhuizen (Ed.), Reflections on language teacher identity research (pp. 120-125). Routledge.
- Yazan, B. (2018). Towards identity-oriented teacher education: Critical autoethnographic narrative. TESOL Journal, 10(1), 1-15
- Yesilbursa, A. (2012). Using metaphor to explore the professional role identities of higher education English language instructors. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 468-472.
- Yi, L., & Meng, L. (2022). Teacher Identity Construction of Non-Local English-Speaking EFL Teachers in the Intercultural Adaptation Process. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 13(5), 1058-1065. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1305.19